News from the Middlesex Chamber - December 2019
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Member Spotlight: The YMCA of MEWSA
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Did you know that the YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and South Amboy (MEWSA) is the leading child care provider in Middlesex County? Across its 11 child care center locations in the county, the YMCA serves up to 1,000 children a day.
And that number is going to keep growing, vows President and CEO Rose Cushing, adding that the YMCA of MEWSA will be opening a new facility in Piscataway in the spring.
“Child care is a major part of what we do and I feel that whenever people think of a YMCA, they think of just a gym and pool facility. We are much more than that,” she said.
Cushing, who has been president since 2016, started out working at one of YMCA’s child care centers almost 30 years ago. Now, she heads the entire organization but admitted that her heart will always be with the children.
“The Y is one of the best-kept secrets, especially the many programs that are offered at our buildings,” said Cushing, highlighting a new free program called “Healthy Weight & Your Child,” an evidence-based program for children carrying excess weight.
The YMCA of MEWSA has more than 20,000 members; that number will inevitably grow with the addition of the Piscataway facility.
Its facilities also employ more than 500 people from Middlesex County and continuously give back to the community, especially during the holiday season.
This past year alone, the YMCA of MEWSA awarded $600,000 in scholarships to local students.
For the holidays, each child care center picks a charity in which to help fund. Currently, the Metuchen branch is collecting items for Toys for Tots and the Edison branch is holding a canned food drive.
“The thing that drives me the most is my passion to improve the community I’m in and the YMCA is a huge part of that,” said Cushing.
Along with its child care centers, the YMCA offers a wide variety of adult and teen classes such as swim, music, dance and health and wellness.
Cushing mentioned that the YMCA’s membership with the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce helps the organization connect with the community and allows its members to expand their networks.
“The chamber is truly an outlet for like-minded people who want to better the community,” she added. “The chamber brings together so many different people from the county, which allows its members to hear differing perspectives on issues.”
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You Won’t Want to Miss the Last Member Orientation of the Year
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Orientation is a great opportunity for new, current and prospective members to meet the staff, network and learn about the many, many benefits of a Chamber membership.
A complimentary Networking Breakfast is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13, at 9:00 a.m., at the chamber office, 109 Church St. It is provided by Investors Bank and hosted by the Chamber's Ambassador Committee.
We hope to see you there!
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Kick-Off the Holiday Season with MCRCC on Dec. 17
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‘Tis the season to be jolly and the best way to celebrate the holiday season is at MCRCC’s 2019 Holiday Party.
This year’s festivities will take place at the State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave. in New Brunswick, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
For the past four years, members have been asked to bring a gas or grocery/food gift card to support our veterans. Please do the same this year as the tradition continues. All donations will be given to VFW Post 370 Sgt. John H Neilson Post in New Brunswick.
Light food will be provided along with a cash bar.
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Sandler Training Event Helps Members “Identify Blind Spots” Within Their Businesses
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Pictured above: Dave Mattson of Sandler Training presenting at the Rutgers Club.
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From left to right: Jim Barnoski, President of Performance Selling, Tamara Robb of Robb Digital Marketing and Dave Mattson of Sandler Training.
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Having a company-wide playbook is one of the keys to success in the sales business, according to Dave Mattson, President & CEO of Sandler Training.
At his training event, “Building an Organization of Excellence,” Mattson identified some of the common “blind spots” that individuals face within their businesses including not having a proper process for hiring, not having common sales language and failing to train and coach management staff.
A company playbook would address many blind spots, Mattson said, adding that it helps businesses to create cohesive sales language and makes for easier training of new employees.
Sandler trains more than 30,000 leaders, managers and salespeople per year and has been a leader in sales and sales management training for more than 50 years.
This first-time event was held at The Rutgers Club in Piscataway and hosted by Robb Digital Marketing and Performance Selling, two of MCRCC’s dedicated members and users of Sandler training.
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First Event of “Make It & Move It Middlesex” Series a Success
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Pictured above from left to right: Keep Middlesex Moving Executive Director Bill Neary, Middlesex County Workforce Development Director Kevin Kurdziel, Middlesex County Freeholder Charles Kenny, Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald Rios and Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler.
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Pictured above: Freeholder Director Rios and others on the tour of the Cascades facility.
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The first installment of the chamber’s “Make It and Move It Middlesex” economic development series, which helps to connect local business and legislative leaders, went off without a hitch on Dec. 3. as a group of almost 50 attendees gathered at Cascades Containerboard Packaging.
The event at Cascades, located at 1 Turner Place in Piscataway, featured an engaging panel discussion with Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald Rios, Freeholder Charles Kenny, Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler and Middlesex County Workforce Development Director Kevin Kurdziel.
The event was also moderated by Bill Neary, the executive director of Keep Middlesex Moving and MCRCC Board of Directors chairman, and featured a tour of the 400,000 square-foot facility.
Alex Fowlie, a Human Resources Manager for Cascade, told the crowd that before the Canadian-based company settled on its Piscataway location in 2017, it looked at 78 other locations along the East Coast.
Fowlie said the company selected Piscataway because of its proximity to major roadways and freight lines, as well as Middlesex County’s dedication to transportation improvements.
“Around 75 to 80 percent of our business is located within a 55-mile radius of this facility,” he told the crowd.
This event was just the first of the four-part economic development series that was launched by MCRCC in 2017. Other sessions will take place February 2020 (State Assembly), March 2020 (State Senators), and April 2020 (Women in Government).
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Members Kicked-Off the Holiday Season at WinterFest
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Above: Snapshots from the Holiday Winterfest.
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Jewelry, specialty coffee and homemade dog treats were just a few of the items for sale at MCRCC’s Holiday WinterFest, hosted by the chamber’s Women in Business Committee.
This one-of-a-kind event incorporated networking, holiday shopping and giveaways for a lovely Friday morning at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe.
During breakfast, members had the chance to pair up with their designated partner before introducing them to the group and delivering their 30-second sales introductions.
“As always, this year’s Holiday WinterFest brought together many like-minded women (and a few men) to celebrate the holiday season and make invaluable connections,” said MCRCC President Lina Llona. “Thank you to our Women in Business Committee for their continued effort to bring together the women of Middlesex County and beyond.”
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MCRCC Welcomes Freshii to New Brunswick
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The chamber would like to welcome Freshii, a fast-casual chain restaurant specializing in healthy options, to the Hub City.
Located at 131 Neilson St., Freshii held its grand opening on Dec. 4 and offers a wide variety of customizable nutritious options such as soups, salads, wraps, bowls, burritos, frozen yogurt, juices and smoothies. The chain also offers keto, vegetarian and vegan options including the increasingly popular plant-based protein, Beyond Meat.
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You're Invited to Attend the 2020 Reorganization of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
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December Member Orientation
Chamber Office
109 Church St., New Brunswick
Friday, December 13
9 - 10:30 a.m.
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2019 Holiday Party
State Theatre,
15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
Tuesday, December 17
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
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Welcome, New Members! Welcome Back, Returning Members!
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Membership Reflects Central Jersey’s Growing Business Community
The MRRCC is pleased to welcome new members to our ever-growing Central Jersey business community. We are also grateful to our returning partners, who have renewed their commitment to America’s greatest chamber!
Welcome, New Members!
Enable Inc.
Priority Enterprise Inc.
Bartol Systems
Cleary Products
Dan Vargas Films
Palatable Inc.
Ross, Anglim, Angelini & Co
Dress for Success
Welcome Back, Returning Members!
Altice Media Solutions
Hackensack Meridian Healthcare Systems
para-Plus
Xplosive Entertainment
All Colors
United Way of Central Jersey
VoiceNEXT
Hermann Services
Middlesex County Office of Economic Development
Star One Professional Services
Affinity Federal Credit Union
Kier's Kidz
Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas
Maul Electric Inc.
Keep Middlesex Moving
New Brunswick City Market
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Your Opportunity to Connect With Us
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